If there's one fight that can approximate the possible excitement of this Saturday's AJ Banal-Luis Perez showdown at the Waterfront Hotel, look no further than the one on its undercard.

The scrap featuring ALA fighter Larry "Bon Jovi" Canillas and Davao's Ramie Laput (38-4, 17 KO's) promises to threaten the main event as the most likely explosive and evenly-matched fight of the "Pinoy Pride" card put up by ALA Promotions and ABS-CBN Sports.

Canillas (15-2, 13 KO's) has gained reputation as a no-nonsense slugger and banger, but Laput is a slick, world-class veteran who has been there and done that.

Canillas, the young lion and pride of Toledo City, has made no secret his intention of adding Laput's name to his victims list, saying that he lives for a fight of this magnitude inspired by the thought of saving enough to help out his poor family in the province.

"I know he is a very good veteran. But age doesn't punch, so I'm ready to rock and roll with him," Canillas told this writer in an interview. "Im going to show to him that I am inspired by my family, to save them from poverty, and he is the man right now who is standing my way to achieving that goal," added Canillas, who gained his moniker due to singing prowess that can approximate the famous rock superstar.

Laput, fighting out of the ABA Boxing Gym, yesterday arrived from Davao, and informed that he came into enemy territory confident of his training and conditioning. Laput was accompanied by his trainer and team organizer Glenn Salazar.

"I trained well and hard in Davao City for this fight. I am so ready to fight Canillas and frustrate the hometown crowd," said the soft-spoken Laput, the former WBO Intercontinental and WBO Asia Pacific superbantam king and ex-Philippine superfly champion. Laput, however, is seeing action after a ten-month layoff, and it remains to be seen if he can easly shake off the rust.

Meanwhile, the official weigh-in takes place today at the SM Atrium starting 11AM, said ALA Promotions marketing chief Dennis Canete. First bout takes place 6PM on Saturday.